July 30, 2024 • 34 mins
In episode 3 and finale of the PTS Growth theme, host Andy Fermo continues his conversation with military veteran John Giampino, delving into the profound impact of his service on his mental health and the journey towards healing. John discusses the moral injury he experienced from the lack of support from his hierarchy, which significantly affected his confidence in leadership and his overall mental health. He recounts the traumatic training incident that led to his PTSD and the subsequent struggles with his physical health, including multiple injuries and surgeries.
John candidly shares his battle with depression and suicidal thoughts following his medical discharge from the army. He describes hitting rock bottom and the turning point when he decided to rebuild his life by starting a carpentry business, which brought him happiness and a renewed sense of purpose. He emphasizes the critical role of the organization "I've Got Your Six" in helping him transition to civilian life by identifying and leveraging the skills he developed in the military.
The conversation highlights the importance of support systems, both from organizations and within the veteran community. John speaks passionately about his work as an ambassador for "I've Got Your Six," advocating for the importance of transitioning programs and the need for veterans to seek help before leaving the service. The episode underscores the theme of “post-traumatic growth,” showcasing John's resilience and commitment to helping other veterans find their path to healing and purpose.
Key Takeaways
Service
1. John’s experience of moral injury due to lack of support from his hierarchy.
2. The traumatic training incident that led to his PTSD.
3. The physical toll of his service, resulting in multiple injuries and surgeries.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
4. John’s battle with depression and suicidal thoughts following his medical discharge.
5. The importance of finding purpose in civilian life to improve mental health and wellbeing.
6. The role of "I've Got Your Six" in helping veterans transition to civilian life.
Self-Care and Positive Mindset
7. Starting a carpentry business brought John happiness and a renewed sense of purpose.
8. The significance of support systems, both organizational and community-based, in the healing process.
9. Advocating for transitioning programs to support veterans before they leave the service.
10. The theme of "post-traumatic growth" as a source of resilience and hope for veterans.
Contact - John Giampino
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/igySIXfoundation
Website: https://igy6.com.au/
Help Lines Open Arms (VVCS) | Lifeline | RedSix app
"RESPECT, NO POLITICS, WE'RE VOLUNTEERS"
Disclaimer: The accounts and stories are "Real lived experiences" of our guests some of the content may trigger Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) symptoms in some of our audience. Feedback regarding other organisations, courses and initiatives remains largely unsensored. Whether its good or bad they remain the OPINION of our guests and their experiences it is important in building an accurate statistic on what really happens.
During the course of our conversations sometimes sensitive information may be accidentally mentioned, as such, Invisible Injuries respects the law and sensors any information that may breach Operational Security OPSEC
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Claire Fermo (00:04):
Welcome to invisible injuries podcast,
aimed at bettering the wellbeing and mental health,
veterans, first responders intheir immediate support
experiencing post traumaticstress. By sharing the stories
of the lived experiences of ourpeers, or support staff and the
clinicians, it's our aim to makesure we can have a meaningful
(00:27):
connection with our audience,and give them the ideas for
their own self care plan. If youdo like what you're hearing,
subscribe to the channel andshare it with your friends.
Lastly, these stories may be atrigger for your post traumatic
stress. If your PTSD istriggered, we have links to
(00:48):
support in the description. Orif it's immediate, please call
lifeline on 1311 14. Here's yourhost, Andy fermo.
Andy Fermo (01:02):
He mentioned moral injury before they're so not
empathetic from a support systemthat you had. How did that feel?
You mentioned before that brokeall those types. What was that?
In your mind given by thatstage? I'm thinking that this is
towards the at the tail end ofyour career. 3031 years that was
that
John Ciampino (01:21):
I was I was a sergeant back there. So why the
tail end of my career probablyin the middle of martyr that
affect me, I had no confidencein my hierarchy at all, none
whatsoever in the end, but youknew that there was a fault with
the Warcraft as far as histrimmer stability is concerned,
(01:42):
a third operate on land and notbright on water those few bit
the basic difference. But theSERP operation was the final
straw that broke the camel'sback. And noting that we aired
out to the proper authority Itwas It wasn't acted upon. We
(02:02):
weren't brought in an almostcosted people will their lives
to prove that very. And thatreport basically went out
deliberately to hang me. And tome, I lost all faith in my
hierarchy. So much so that Ichanged as person I literally
changed. I was very much one formy men. Definitely. And if I
(02:27):
seen them do anything wrongwhatsoever, all dragging my
poles. And the only reason why Idid that was because of the
experiences dry lift. I didn'twant happening then. I think the
one big thing that was bright,it was a proud little bang on
chest moment was when I wasworking class one I was working
(02:50):
out in 70 bird guide, myBrigadier came up to me and
said, Listen, 35 want to do byship operation Bullock drives. I
said I'll do that. I said yes. Isaid we can take the hired
cranes off all but they don'twant I said to from my
experience, and I'm the only onethat scrawled one and walked
away from it. They're taking thehigher crane offered until they
(03:12):
are licenced and qualifiedoperators. wrong there. They can
do whatever they want. Or didn'tI get the bloody phone cold when
the Brigadier turned around.
Colonel said take the bangs off.
I said, Listen, I advise myBrigadier on what should happens
and the reasons behind it. Andhe took my advice, and he's
(03:33):
giving you an order. Yeah. Sowhat's with the compensation?
What were the phone call? Iwouldn't say alienated from
those Squadron and whatnot. Butin the end, I had a set of
principles, hereby and my jobwas to advise and guide and
bring it here at that time.
That's what I did. So if I hurtfear comes on the way. Tough
(03:53):
shit.
Andy Fermo (03:56):
Like, obviously, he's given orders based on your
advice. And that advice therewith lived experience. Right
now.
John Ciampino (04:02):
There's my little proud chest pounding moment.
Yeah, of course. And
Andy Fermo (04:05):
now I can see that now offer for the audience who
were not recording the video abit with with those operations
coming in. Thanks for sharingyour experience. And I don't
want to water that that down inin any way because it really
sets that tone now for the workthat you're doing that you did
post military. So if we movefrom those experiences in the
(04:28):
military, you did your 31 Thatincident happened midway, were
things falling off after that,and then obviously post
Solomon's to your discharge orwhat did you find what was the
story there?
John Ciampino (04:39):
A lesson from there as well. I suffered
numerous amount of injuries. Sosnapped my ACL complete rupture
of the ACL. In both shoulders,the bicep tendons had to be
really all separate incidents.
So in essence, my body wasstarting to break down so much
so that 31 year career how hadmade board. And they literally
(05:00):
saying that I've had threeseparate operations because in
the span of 18 months, and inthe end, I made a decision. In
hindsight, it was probably theright decision. But as a as a
career soldier, I still had alot to give. And I wanted to
(05:20):
continue soldiering on. But asmy boss stated, listen, my
blessing want to do is changeinto a cripple. And so whilst
you still got functionality ofthe arms and legs and whatnot,
were medically discharging you.
And that was kicking. It reallywas. I know, that was the end of
(05:43):
an era for me. I spent themajority of my adult career in
the army, I believe the Armymade me the person I am today.
For that, for me now leaving theArmy it's like losing a family
member. Yes, it was hard thing.
And finally, when the diethappened, it was like one door
closed. And another one didn'thope I was out in the cold, so
(06:05):
to speak, he moved back toMelbourne, and bought a house in
Sunbury, and yet started workingon that. And in the end, I
couldn't see myself laid thehouse for a long time. So
literally, what I've done forthe next eight months was had a
jackhammer had a lot of toolsand whatnot, the ground need a
(06:28):
lot of work. So I turned atiered block into of Westlaw.
But I was also finding that morehelp than being was starting to
degra date. And that had a lotto do with my second marriage,
as well as my self worth to thestage where I just couldn't do
(06:51):
it anymore. I wanted peace in mylife. I wanted to rest because
last eight, eight months wasjust terrible. And so much so
that I drove out to a on thehighway, I pulled up to a truck
stop and a solid truck was sevenLaban tablets. And they found me
(07:11):
on the coppers found me andthose were there. I was saying
to Royal Melbourne, to the cuteward where I spent 10 days. And
I get absolute rock bottom. Icouldn't go any further. Well,
Andy Fermo (07:28):
so that was so you got to that stage. And and I
just want to unpack this alittle bit here. Johnson, first
of all, we can feel happy to beable to talk about it. That 18
months was that from losingpurpose, or not knowing what to
do next and you would just avoidcoping silly is what I spoke
(07:51):
with with the previous guests isyou're doing stuff just to get
by, right? It's not the bestway. Had you planned that sort
of that pullover to take thosetablets was that was those
suicidal ideologies there atthat time? Had you been thinking
about
John Ciampino (08:06):
that? Yeah, it was. I mean, it's always been
the back of my mind saying,because self worth was beat
thing. Yes, I lost my selfworth. And those on to what I
want is clock once in my tribe,and I was one of them. And from
from that element of my life andthe top of my game, the ceiling,
(08:27):
the back doors on a fullpension. But that didn't mean
nothing. I just lost my selfworth. In essence, I couldn't
find my way out. Being out inthe civilian sector was a whole
different ballgame wasn't it?
But the way the mines the waythey think they think for
themselves were were trying tothink for August 1 We thinking
(08:48):
is and I just couldn't get mymind around. It's not I couldn't
integrate with them. Sure. Shavevoice started a job and I did.
And I started a job and Icouldn't cope because I was
losing my shirt because I wasbasically telling people they
were useless. Because now mymindset was completely
(09:09):
different. But my work werecompletely different. In the
army, you work and you workuntil you got the job done. You
can instal he worked until yougot the job done. And that's it
these guys here I knew guys weregoing on strike because one of
their members got attackedbecause that member told the
group hierarchy but you got toget back he got out when he for
(09:31):
me that to happen. I was likenah, I can't work in this
environment. Yeah, so literallymy only solar so I had was
working in the backyard movingtonnes and tonnes of Clike
rebuilding the backout but mysecond marriage wasn't good.
(09:51):
I'll give you that straight fromwhen I put the ring on my finger
just went downhill from me, sirhad that to deal with I had my
medical discharge to deal withself worth, everything was just
culminating one on top of theother. Industry, the stage where
I had enough, I was tired offighting every day, I was tired
(10:12):
of struggling every day findingpurpose in life. I was I was
tired of it, oh, I couldn't doit. No, I shrink this towards
17. Well, the full musclesaren't in. And in the end, I've
just, I had enough. So a bit thebullet. Now I want to go out and
die. Because I was tired. Andthat, as I said before that the
(10:38):
bottom of the barrel, I couldn'tgo any further down. And in the
end, after I came out of thecute Ward, and then another
VISTA Ward seven T, I had to dosomething with my loss. And that
was the biggest thing. Now Iknew I couldn't work in a
civilian sector, because my workis completely different to a lot
(10:59):
of others. But I need to dosomething with my life. So I
look back and I said what mademe happy. And the one big thing
that made me happy waswouldwould come true made me
happy. Behind the tools infunnily enough, I used to do it
when I was coming back fromexercise or came back from
overseas operation. I used towork with the tools used to
(11:22):
build things used to help Ibisout all that sort of stuff that
made me happy that I thoughtshake. It was right in front of
me. I didn't realise literally,yes, started off my business in
carpentry. And that was first ofall by a you hadn't at all and
isolated trying to work? How amI going to promote myself out
(11:43):
there. So it was literallybusiness cards and my vehicle
was my promotion. And that wasit. I had these little magnetic
strips on the side and went outthere. But cotton was the jobs
one week I had a job whereyou're getting, I was constantly
looking for jobs and all thissort of stuff. It was really
hard. And that's where I met upwith Christina, Her background
was marketing. And I told her mystory and what I wanted to do
(12:09):
with my business, and in theend, it was like, Oh, John, I
can help you with this. And shewent through the process. And
she was pretty excited down thewhole law, where to me it was
starting become a little bitoverwhelming. She started off
Okay, first of all, we'll do thecomplete change over to your
vehicle, advertising, all thatsort of stuff, but became
(12:31):
overwhelming. And then she'ssaying what was happening with
my mindset, my body, and allthat sort of sudden and said we
need to really start focusing onyou and start getting it to a
stage where you get startedrunning your business. And
literally this is where I'vegotten six immune to it. Because
(12:51):
even though I had life skills, Ihad life skills in the village,
and I felt that I couldn'ttransfer those life skills out
in civvy street when naturalbacked military set me up to run
my own business as to bull andbaseless because it set me up
with those skill sets. But Ididn't realise grim transfer and
(13:14):
this is where Pristina helped meand it's neuroscience it's to do
with your brain II know how theytrain you in the army we train
through repeatedly doing thingsTom time get this is pretty much
exactly the same way as wherethe I've got your six helps
retrain your mind. And butyou're forever working on new
(13:35):
arc, but it refocusing whatyou've learned in defence that
how you can transition them intocivilian straight and of course
for your own personal wellbeing. You know, you say to him,
You are not a CV, and guesswhat, you will never be a CV,
you are a veteran, the we got toDefence personnel, and then you
(13:55):
got a CV, you're a bit of bothnow, you are the veteran in the
middle, you have served yourcountry and now you're going to
go out and serve your communityeven though you don't realise
it. And this is what I do nowwith my business. I literally
third mark me and really startedopening up my eyes to the
possibilities. Oh wow, my skillsets are very much transferable.
(14:21):
And the reason why I say that isbecause even though I've had the
operational services andwhatnot, I primarily go out here
to look after my client whereyou hear a lot of unscrupulous
traders go in there and takemoney in trust me I've heard
horror stories of felt higherthan need to be vindicated, but
(14:43):
worked with a lot of veteran anda lot of veteran TPI and
whatnot. And they love it whenwe come over, because as we've
said, we've got we told themexactly what we can do. Only our
take. We've got a T Haman.
effect where in a normal personout there you pay one where
(15:06):
veterans first responders warwidows, will pay completely
different
Andy Fermo (15:11):
from what what you're saying there's, I want to
be able to unpack that becausethere's a lot of real, important
pivotal information that you'veshared there, John, and I want
to be able to share that andparaphrase that with our
audience is, first of all isjust speaking to that now, is
that now being in a severe, ahybrid of civilian and as a
(15:31):
veteran is that those sets ofvalues are still instilled to
you. So the way that you'reconducting business now, and
having reframed your skill sets,to meet a new operational needs,
so to speak, in Old, old schoolmilitary terms, is be able to go
through and service that andyou'll be providing that
different service. That's thepoint of difference from a
business point of view. Butalso, when you met Christina,
(15:55):
she said that there was a shiftthere in that neuroscience this
I can help you with, youmentioned before that those
skill sets, he didn't know howto transform. And that's the
important work that I've gotyour six is helping with now
from family skills and lifecoaching to doing this. Can you
speak to that aha moment ofthose things that that you
worked on that change thatmindset through the
(16:16):
neuroscience? Okay,
John Ciampino (16:18):
so in essence, yeah, it's everybody that leaves
defence comes with a set ofskills, and whatnot, but we have
devised them through a regimenor why have you heard learning
that sort of stuff, but theyturn around and say, Listen,
I've been in infantry, I knowhow to operate guns and whatnot.
(16:40):
But there is so much more thatyou know what to do, but you
don't realise that you've gotthe potential actually, you're
doing it right now. And into andpersonal relationship with
people knowing how to filterknown to be empathetic was there
needs reassuring the your clientor whatnot, and keeping them
(17:01):
informed of all what's going onand whatnot, those sorts of try
and knock out. And yet it's beeninstalled into us because we do
have a certain mindset and doingthings and we do inform people
of what we're doing. Becausethat's what we've been taught
and military, we do haveempathy, because we've worked
with other people in youroperational environment where
(17:23):
there's even suffering and we'vebeen suffering before. So we
empathise with them. And we willprotect them similar to how we
protect the people that couldn'tprotect themselves. We protect
our clients, because that can'tprotect themselves from other
trainees, because they don'tunderstand when they're being
when it's a failing grade valueand all that or when they've
(17:45):
been taken for a ride.
Andy Fermo (17:47):
And so with that, John, there's all those key
attributes that you're sayingthe military and first responder
personnel have instilled intothem? What was that work that
Christina did with you throughI've got your six that helped
you realise or that guided youto realise that essential skill
set that you already had inbuiltinto you was transferable to
(18:09):
your business that you'dcreated. Okay.
John Ciampino (18:12):
The programme there is basically focused on
veterans and first respondersthere manage their lives after
service. And that was a bigthing, finding a new purpose in
their life, through the skillsthat they've already developed
and installed within themselves.
And it also has got a lot to dowith managing their family life
and all that sort of subjectbecause don't forget, wait a
(18:34):
bedroom, there's always somebodyin the background, that's always
your spouse, and your children.
So they too are part and parcelof your journey. They too have
suffered. Because they watch yousuffer so they then they
themselves suffer as well, isthat only was a part of their
software. So in essence, I'vegot said helps. The veteran not
(19:00):
only helps the veterans but helptheir families and children. Pa
and this is what I've got to do.
Oh got to say this, I've got issix is not psychology or
psychiatry. Okay. We don't workfrom your here backwards. We
don't. That's your psychologist,retired cartridge. We work on
the now to the future. Thoughthis is a flow on effect that we
(19:24):
got. So after you've gonethrough and spoken to clear
you've got yourself in a goodposition with your psychologists
and psychiatrists the sayingright now I can read the bull by
the horns. Let's see whatcomputer brings is where I've
gotten six nationally held. Andthere you go. Yeah. And it
doesn't early focus onemployment, actually guides
(19:45):
veteran to discover theirpassions, what they enjoy doing,
what makes them happy, andlisted big thin toe because when
veterans do lead defence, thereis all weighs one thing in the
background they've done whilstthey're in defence that made
them happy. Yeah, take theirmind off the job. And that's
(20:06):
what we tried to find out.
Because in the air, if there wasa hobby or whatnot, we
discovered what made them happy.
But then because all make themhappy now we can actually
literally anything that makesyou happy can be turned into a
business. And
Andy Fermo (20:21):
it will happen is that what happened to you when
you met Christina and you weredoing your stuff with I can fix
that
John Ciampino (20:26):
I started carpentry, because it made me
happy. But I had no, it hadactually promoted myself out
there. This bought you seatshelped me because I had to tell
them my story, I had to tellthem where I come from, before
they understood where I wantedto go. I know what makes me
happy. But this is it. Everyveteran knows what makes them
(20:46):
happy. It's up to them to tellChristina will tell the team I
got sick, what makes me happyfrom there. They want to develop
it into a career. Becauseanything that makes you happy,
anything that you do can bedifficult. He'd be more on my
team. Guess what there are a lotof companies out there looking
at people would build models. Ifyou're looking on a haul haul of
(21:09):
planting a lot of nurseries outthere like gardening. What about
landscaping, business, thingsthat make you happy. And where
Christina can then help youdevelop that into a business
with business strategy. It canbe overwhelming. And trust me it
was for me because I had to stopit. Because of just too much
(21:31):
information too soon. And you'vegot to slow down. And as I'm
just getting overwhelmed by aheartbeat. And when you become
overwhelmed, you start to closeup again. Now I didn't want
that. So she worked with me at apace that I one go not work per
stay in one go was my post itbuild up to the business where
(21:52):
now today my I've got my ownwebsite, we've got my business
cards, I've got my own businessFacebook page, I got blind. So
booked out for the next sixmonths, I still got to do
another five more quotes andthey're not even young. What I'm
hearing
Andy Fermo (22:08):
what I'm hearing, John is, is that with I can fix
that. Now you had that idea. Butyou didn't quite know how to
implement the other componentsof it even though you had all
these other skills in built. Andthrough that work that you've
done with Christina, shelistened to your story that gave
and formulated a planvocationally to be able to get
you from here to where you arenow in incremental steps at your
(22:32):
pace based on your story andwhat makes you happy, unlocking,
unlocking those skills that youalready had in built and then
transferring them to CivvyStreet, speaking that language,
at the same time, alsoinstilling that purpose in you,
because you've mentioned before,there's the skills that make you
happy, but then things forbusiness. But there's also those
(22:53):
other things like familyrelationships, and those are the
parts that come inherently withwhat you're missing. Because you
mentioned before that secondmarriage, that was a foul thing,
but you've got relationshipswith kids, and how can you move
them forward? Or how can theyinteract with you and
communication. So then that waythat brings that holistic
approach to it to being able tohelp repurpose veterans, first
(23:17):
responders to something that's alittle bit more manageable as a
transition life after militaryto
John Ciampino (23:24):
the table as well. And this is why plateless
and all I'm not going to startslacking out there bergbau
interpersonal relationship whereanybody is bullied. We talk to
him we sit down we dumbeverything down to them so they
can understand we by getting outin front of them, sir they know
that there's no hidden costs,fees, whatever. We become as
(23:47):
transparent as we possibly can.
And it's not I that this day, Istill can't work with civilian
Zeb got gearing mindset, andI've got mine. Here was two
tours of Afghanistan. He left hewas in the infantry left the
army went join the police forceafter his training and whatnot.
Roe v. crumpled everything justhit him once. Then he went
(24:11):
through and bad depressive stagehe was hidden drugs and whatnot.
He was locked away he wouldn'tsay anyone Christina worked in
for months at the time where shethey turned on was going by you
and turn the camera on wasalways in cheese and cry to
where he is now. He's justbubbly. He looks forward worm is
(24:35):
looking he's getting marriednext month. Got a baby beautiful
baby girl. His life hascompletely changed. He's out. He
talks to the community thistimeline I do. He's life has
changed 100% Because ALMS what Ican see and X ray do or him
Andy Fermo (24:59):
Yep. And then that's the thing and then working
through your business andworking alongside someone that
that knows the differencesthere. And obviously, that skill
sets and values that you've gotin dealing with your particular
customers, we know we won't gointo those business details, but
I can just see it in your eyesthere, how much that's given you
purpose to be able to do that,as an ambassador for the
(25:21):
organisation it is,
John Ciampino (25:23):
and we know that every veterans still to this
day, have good days and havesaid bad days. So we're very
empathetic towards that as well.
And he brings Napa says ourcondo today. And then I say, are
you all right? And he'll say,not really. So I can even
postpone my business with the mybusiness and go to his place and
sit down and have a cup of tea.
(25:45):
Or that's the beautiful thingbecause we're bouncing
constantly bouncing off oneanother. So we're helping one
another on the journey. Andthat's opened, every single
veteran now and this thingveterans can bounce, aha, the
veterans are belong the militarybalsa wood militia motorcycle
club, Big West. And they, theymy journey into the state, I was
(26:09):
at top the horse in Trenton,right place one therapy. Fake
enough of it, then absolutelyBerean Ploetz, do what I am now.
And that was a five yearjourney, and that I can't
believe how much I've actuallychanged
Andy Fermo (26:23):
that growth, isn't it? It's growth, their post
military, John, what you'retalking about, isn't it. And it
takes times because I knowyou're really passionate about
this, seeing that in the waythat you're talking about this,
your growth and your journey.
And then also your offsider now,and seeing how far he's come
along. And the work that I'vegot your six has had in terms of
being able to help you on thatjourney in bite sized chunks to
(26:46):
realise that purpose, andrepurpose those skills. But
there's something as well, andthen I want you to be able to
share that with the audience. Isit does it's not an overnight
thing, is it?
John Ciampino (27:00):
No, definitely not. It takes time. It does take
me five odd years to get towhere I am now. But in saying
that as well, when I left thearmy, there was nothing else
there. I dva right, we're gonnafill out all your claims and
whatnot. And now well, and thatshould never happen. She'll be
(27:22):
there's got to be a transitionfighters, every member Lane
automatically moves toward orlooking at leaving the service,
they definitely need thattransition phase. We're not
talking about a three daytransition seminar that you
know, there has got to besomething in place and this is
where I've got his sixdefinitely helps him because the
last thing they need to do is gothrough what I went without that
(27:45):
port without that transitionphase from the military into
Sydney straight becauseliterally, I couldn't do it
because it was not having us togo to the cities we're looking
at somebody completely he didn'treally know what I was. And my
home or and whatnot was playingin be part of me trying to get a
jolt couldn't work with othercities because in the end, my
(28:09):
minds and I'm a bronchial whilesomebody speaks five seconds
later, there'll be on the floorblame because I'm going to use
just nothing but a panini wife.
And this is where I've got yousick and help them transition
nine. They go through theprogramme and whatnot, but they
get exposed to other clubs andwhatnot, or a lot of veterans
(28:30):
out there now, militarybrotherhood military Motorcycle
Club is just one club. They'vegot walk minded veterans that
work together, they've got theirproblems and all that sort of
stuff. But at least we've gotpeople that we can bounce off,
you're not alone, out in thisbig, wide, horrible world. And
it's guy that there's othercentres out there like corn
(28:51):
therapy, you need to have aquiet space, and just gather
your thoughts and talk to otherlike minded people and whatnot.
path, the path of Austin Trentonbrilliant place. You got an
operator, JD Ma, that wasCommando. Yeah. And now he works
that space and he lovesveterans. All right. And again,
(29:12):
with that, I've got your six. Sothere's so many elements there
to assist you and help you alongthe way. But biggest thing that
I and I can't reiterate thisenough, is getting contact,
before you even looking atdischarging from the services,
get in contact with I've gotyour six. So you don't fall into
(29:33):
that rut. We don't fall intothat hole. We're a we're a
nonprofit, we're a charity whereit's the charity organisation
that we're in as though it'sservice organisation with a
board members military veteran,yes, yet. We have a specific
goal and will and there's aspecific way of doing things I
(29:57):
find We're there to help.
Andy Fermo (30:01):
So in closing, I know that we could probably pick
up another part on this as well,John, because there's more that
I'd like to be able to unpack.
But I'm behind all of the John,in closing this, I know that
you're very passionate aboutwhat you're doing your work now
with your business, but also, asan ambassador, for I've got your
six, is there some closingremarks that you can share with
(30:22):
our audience, from a personaland also Ambassador point of
view, that you'd like be able toshare with someone who's
thinking about getting out or isin that transition process,
definitely
John Ciampino (30:35):
get in contact with October 6, it is free of
charge service, you can go ontotheir website at a GYC stock
Comdata. You got all theinformation there. Or you can
give them a call on 03701823double zero, speak to the team.
(30:56):
There's absolutely no obligationit is a free of charge service
for all veterans and whatnot.
You could also be You also couldapply for NDIS. That's
Andy Fermo (31:08):
a big one as well.
John Ciampino (31:09):
That is mascot. A lot of people realise how now I
can't because w Diddy. No, it isbecause DVI will cover a lot of
your injury. But where dadoesn't cover injury as well,
after you go through the processof filling out the forms, which
I must state again, I've gottensick, we'll do it for you free
of charge for performances tobring in men to India. Here's
(31:33):
one Chandi it says yes, then wecan get you on the ball rolling?
Oh, you got absolutely nothing.
No, oh,
Andy Fermo (31:41):
well, that's it. And it's just really about going
well, acknowledging that I'vegot your six is exactly that
someone that's there in supportfor wind to help enable you to
get where you need to go,especially in the transition
phase where you might have lostfeel that you've lost your
purpose, or are struggling withbeing able to repurpose the
skills that you have got andshedding light upon that. And
(32:03):
having that support. Mate, thankyou so much for joining us on
the podcast today. It's
John Ciampino (32:09):
your worries,
Andy Fermo (32:09):
thank you for sharing your story. And also
some of those traumas thatyou've had is because it really
is important to be able to seethat change. And even though we
talked about that those traumasis seeing where you are now. And
of course, it takes that littlebit of extra time and nothing is
overnight. But what thediarization is that you're
supporting now and Ambassador ngfor it shows the difference.
(32:33):
Thank you so much for everythingthat you're doing now for the
community with your new purposeand life purpose.
John Ciampino (32:39):
Absolute pleasure out there. Pleasure, Andy,
listen, I can't thank you enoughfor having me on your podcast.
I've really enjoyed it love todo another one. But I've got
over again to write with theseguys. veterans out there. Both
guys and girls. Hey, we're allbrothers and sisters in this
fight. Okay, we are here to helpyou. I've got your six. We've
(33:02):
started this business, Christinaand I as son over $140,000 into
this business to get it up andrunning. We're going to still
sink money. And the reason beingis because we so damn passionate
about it. We know it will workwe know who will help veterans.
The last thing we want to do issee another veteran take his own
life because he felt that hewasn't being helped or there was
(33:26):
nothing out there for him.
Although many mates might wehave lost too many mates. They
even turn around and saying it'sbad. Nothing is too hard. The
hardest thing you've got to do,just pick up that phone and give
us a call. That's the hardestthing.
Andy Fermo (33:42):
All right. Thank you so much, John. No worries. Have
a good day. And thank you forsharing your story and being on
the show. They certainly
Claire Fermo (33:53):
join us next time for the next episode of the
invisible injuries podcast.
Don't forget to subscribe. Formore great content, follow us on
our socials on Instagram. Andyou can also visit our website
www dot invisibleinjuries.org.au where you can
access more content. Thank youfor listening to invisible
(34:14):
injuries.
Welcome to invisible injuries podcast,
aimed at bettering the wellbeing and mental health,
veterans, first responders intheir immediate support
experiencing post traumaticstress. By sharing the stories
of the lived experiences of ourpeers, or support staff and the
clinicians, it's our aim to makesure we can have a meaningful
(00:27):
connection with our audience,and give them the ideas for
their own self care plan. If youdo like what you're hearing,
subscribe to the channel andshare it with your friends.
Lastly, these stories may be atrigger for your post traumatic
stress. If your PTSD istriggered, we have links to
(00:48):
support in the description. Orif it's immediate, please call
lifeline on 1311 14. Here's yourhost, Andy fermo.
Andy Fermo (01:02):
He mentioned moral injury before they're so not
empathetic from a support systemthat you had. How did that feel?
You mentioned before that brokeall those types. What was that?
In your mind given by thatstage? I'm thinking that this is
towards the at the tail end ofyour career. 3031 years that was
that
John Ciampino (01:21):
I was I was a sergeant back there. So why the
tail end of my career probablyin the middle of martyr that
affect me, I had no confidencein my hierarchy at all, none
whatsoever in the end, but youknew that there was a fault with
the Warcraft as far as histrimmer stability is concerned,
(01:42):
a third operate on land and notbright on water those few bit
the basic difference. But theSERP operation was the final
straw that broke the camel'sback. And noting that we aired
out to the proper authority Itwas It wasn't acted upon. We
(02:02):
weren't brought in an almostcosted people will their lives
to prove that very. And thatreport basically went out
deliberately to hang me. And tome, I lost all faith in my
hierarchy. So much so that Ichanged as person I literally
changed. I was very much one formy men. Definitely. And if I
(02:27):
seen them do anything wrongwhatsoever, all dragging my
poles. And the only reason why Idid that was because of the
experiences dry lift. I didn'twant happening then. I think the
one big thing that was bright,it was a proud little bang on
chest moment was when I wasworking class one I was working
(02:50):
out in 70 bird guide, myBrigadier came up to me and
said, Listen, 35 want to do byship operation Bullock drives. I
said I'll do that. I said yes. Isaid we can take the hired
cranes off all but they don'twant I said to from my
experience, and I'm the only onethat scrawled one and walked
away from it. They're taking thehigher crane offered until they
(03:12):
are licenced and qualifiedoperators. wrong there. They can
do whatever they want. Or didn'tI get the bloody phone cold when
the Brigadier turned around.
Colonel said take the bangs off.
I said, Listen, I advise myBrigadier on what should happens
and the reasons behind it. Andhe took my advice, and he's
(03:33):
giving you an order. Yeah. Sowhat's with the compensation?
What were the phone call? Iwouldn't say alienated from
those Squadron and whatnot. Butin the end, I had a set of
principles, hereby and my jobwas to advise and guide and
bring it here at that time.
That's what I did. So if I hurtfear comes on the way. Tough
(03:53):
shit.
Andy Fermo (03:56):
Like, obviously, he's given orders based on your
advice. And that advice therewith lived experience. Right
now.
John Ciampino (04:02):
There's my little proud chest pounding moment.
Yeah, of course. And
Andy Fermo (04:05):
now I can see that now offer for the audience who
were not recording the video abit with with those operations
coming in. Thanks for sharingyour experience. And I don't
want to water that that down inin any way because it really
sets that tone now for the workthat you're doing that you did
post military. So if we movefrom those experiences in the
(04:28):
military, you did your 31 Thatincident happened midway, were
things falling off after that,and then obviously post
Solomon's to your discharge orwhat did you find what was the
story there?
John Ciampino (04:39):
A lesson from there as well. I suffered
numerous amount of injuries. Sosnapped my ACL complete rupture
of the ACL. In both shoulders,the bicep tendons had to be
really all separate incidents.
So in essence, my body wasstarting to break down so much
so that 31 year career how hadmade board. And they literally
(05:00):
saying that I've had threeseparate operations because in
the span of 18 months, and inthe end, I made a decision. In
hindsight, it was probably theright decision. But as a as a
career soldier, I still had alot to give. And I wanted to
(05:20):
continue soldiering on. But asmy boss stated, listen, my
blessing want to do is changeinto a cripple. And so whilst
you still got functionality ofthe arms and legs and whatnot,
were medically discharging you.
And that was kicking. It reallywas. I know, that was the end of
(05:43):
an era for me. I spent themajority of my adult career in
the army, I believe the Armymade me the person I am today.
For that, for me now leaving theArmy it's like losing a family
member. Yes, it was hard thing.
And finally, when the diethappened, it was like one door
closed. And another one didn'thope I was out in the cold, so
(06:05):
to speak, he moved back toMelbourne, and bought a house in
Sunbury, and yet started workingon that. And in the end, I
couldn't see myself laid thehouse for a long time. So
literally, what I've done forthe next eight months was had a
jackhammer had a lot of toolsand whatnot, the ground need a
(06:28):
lot of work. So I turned atiered block into of Westlaw.
But I was also finding that morehelp than being was starting to
degra date. And that had a lotto do with my second marriage,
as well as my self worth to thestage where I just couldn't do
(06:51):
it anymore. I wanted peace in mylife. I wanted to rest because
last eight, eight months wasjust terrible. And so much so
that I drove out to a on thehighway, I pulled up to a truck
stop and a solid truck was sevenLaban tablets. And they found me
(07:11):
on the coppers found me andthose were there. I was saying
to Royal Melbourne, to the cuteward where I spent 10 days. And
I get absolute rock bottom. Icouldn't go any further. Well,
Andy Fermo (07:28):
so that was so you got to that stage. And and I
just want to unpack this alittle bit here. Johnson, first
of all, we can feel happy to beable to talk about it. That 18
months was that from losingpurpose, or not knowing what to
do next and you would just avoidcoping silly is what I spoke
(07:51):
with with the previous guests isyou're doing stuff just to get
by, right? It's not the bestway. Had you planned that sort
of that pullover to take thosetablets was that was those
suicidal ideologies there atthat time? Had you been thinking
about
John Ciampino (08:06):
that? Yeah, it was. I mean, it's always been
the back of my mind saying,because self worth was beat
thing. Yes, I lost my selfworth. And those on to what I
want is clock once in my tribe,and I was one of them. And from
from that element of my life andthe top of my game, the ceiling,
(08:27):
the back doors on a fullpension. But that didn't mean
nothing. I just lost my selfworth. In essence, I couldn't
find my way out. Being out inthe civilian sector was a whole
different ballgame wasn't it?
But the way the mines the waythey think they think for
themselves were were trying tothink for August 1 We thinking
(08:48):
is and I just couldn't get mymind around. It's not I couldn't
integrate with them. Sure. Shavevoice started a job and I did.
And I started a job and Icouldn't cope because I was
losing my shirt because I wasbasically telling people they
were useless. Because now mymindset was completely
(09:09):
different. But my work werecompletely different. In the
army, you work and you workuntil you got the job done. You
can instal he worked until yougot the job done. And that's it
these guys here I knew guys weregoing on strike because one of
their members got attackedbecause that member told the
group hierarchy but you got toget back he got out when he for
(09:31):
me that to happen. I was likenah, I can't work in this
environment. Yeah, so literallymy only solar so I had was
working in the backyard movingtonnes and tonnes of Clike
rebuilding the backout but mysecond marriage wasn't good.
(09:51):
I'll give you that straight fromwhen I put the ring on my finger
just went downhill from me, sirhad that to deal with I had my
medical discharge to deal withself worth, everything was just
culminating one on top of theother. Industry, the stage where
I had enough, I was tired offighting every day, I was tired
(10:12):
of struggling every day findingpurpose in life. I was I was
tired of it, oh, I couldn't doit. No, I shrink this towards
17. Well, the full musclesaren't in. And in the end, I've
just, I had enough. So a bit thebullet. Now I want to go out and
die. Because I was tired. Andthat, as I said before that the
(10:38):
bottom of the barrel, I couldn'tgo any further down. And in the
end, after I came out of thecute Ward, and then another
VISTA Ward seven T, I had to dosomething with my loss. And that
was the biggest thing. Now Iknew I couldn't work in a
civilian sector, because my workis completely different to a lot
(10:59):
of others. But I need to dosomething with my life. So I
look back and I said what mademe happy. And the one big thing
that made me happy waswouldwould come true made me
happy. Behind the tools infunnily enough, I used to do it
when I was coming back fromexercise or came back from
overseas operation. I used towork with the tools used to
(11:22):
build things used to help Ibisout all that sort of stuff that
made me happy that I thoughtshake. It was right in front of
me. I didn't realise literally,yes, started off my business in
carpentry. And that was first ofall by a you hadn't at all and
isolated trying to work? How amI going to promote myself out
(11:43):
there. So it was literallybusiness cards and my vehicle
was my promotion. And that wasit. I had these little magnetic
strips on the side and went outthere. But cotton was the jobs
one week I had a job whereyou're getting, I was constantly
looking for jobs and all thissort of stuff. It was really
hard. And that's where I met upwith Christina, Her background
was marketing. And I told her mystory and what I wanted to do
(12:09):
with my business, and in theend, it was like, Oh, John, I
can help you with this. And shewent through the process. And
she was pretty excited down thewhole law, where to me it was
starting become a little bitoverwhelming. She started off
Okay, first of all, we'll do thecomplete change over to your
vehicle, advertising, all thatsort of stuff, but became
(12:31):
overwhelming. And then she'ssaying what was happening with
my mindset, my body, and allthat sort of sudden and said we
need to really start focusing onyou and start getting it to a
stage where you get startedrunning your business. And
literally this is where I'vegotten six immune to it. Because
(12:51):
even though I had life skills, Ihad life skills in the village,
and I felt that I couldn'ttransfer those life skills out
in civvy street when naturalbacked military set me up to run
my own business as to bull andbaseless because it set me up
with those skill sets. But Ididn't realise grim transfer and
(13:14):
this is where Pristina helped meand it's neuroscience it's to do
with your brain II know how theytrain you in the army we train
through repeatedly doing thingsTom time get this is pretty much
exactly the same way as wherethe I've got your six helps
retrain your mind. And butyou're forever working on new
(13:35):
arc, but it refocusing whatyou've learned in defence that
how you can transition them intocivilian straight and of course
for your own personal wellbeing. You know, you say to him,
You are not a CV, and guesswhat, you will never be a CV,
you are a veteran, the we got toDefence personnel, and then you
(13:55):
got a CV, you're a bit of bothnow, you are the veteran in the
middle, you have served yourcountry and now you're going to
go out and serve your communityeven though you don't realise
it. And this is what I do nowwith my business. I literally
third mark me and really startedopening up my eyes to the
possibilities. Oh wow, my skillsets are very much transferable.
(14:21):
And the reason why I say that isbecause even though I've had the
operational services andwhatnot, I primarily go out here
to look after my client whereyou hear a lot of unscrupulous
traders go in there and takemoney in trust me I've heard
horror stories of felt higherthan need to be vindicated, but
(14:43):
worked with a lot of veteran anda lot of veteran TPI and
whatnot. And they love it whenwe come over, because as we've
said, we've got we told themexactly what we can do. Only our
take. We've got a T Haman.
effect where in a normal personout there you pay one where
(15:06):
veterans first responders warwidows, will pay completely
different
Andy Fermo (15:11):
from what what you're saying there's, I want to
be able to unpack that becausethere's a lot of real, important
pivotal information that you'veshared there, John, and I want
to be able to share that andparaphrase that with our
audience is, first of all isjust speaking to that now, is
that now being in a severe, ahybrid of civilian and as a
(15:31):
veteran is that those sets ofvalues are still instilled to
you. So the way that you'reconducting business now, and
having reframed your skill sets,to meet a new operational needs,
so to speak, in Old, old schoolmilitary terms, is be able to go
through and service that andyou'll be providing that
different service. That's thepoint of difference from a
business point of view. Butalso, when you met Christina,
(15:55):
she said that there was a shiftthere in that neuroscience this
I can help you with, youmentioned before that those
skill sets, he didn't know howto transform. And that's the
important work that I've gotyour six is helping with now
from family skills and lifecoaching to doing this. Can you
speak to that aha moment ofthose things that that you
worked on that change thatmindset through the
(16:16):
neuroscience? Okay,
John Ciampino (16:18):
so in essence, yeah, it's everybody that leaves
defence comes with a set ofskills, and whatnot, but we have
devised them through a regimenor why have you heard learning
that sort of stuff, but theyturn around and say, Listen,
I've been in infantry, I knowhow to operate guns and whatnot.
(16:40):
But there is so much more thatyou know what to do, but you
don't realise that you've gotthe potential actually, you're
doing it right now. And into andpersonal relationship with
people knowing how to filterknown to be empathetic was there
needs reassuring the your clientor whatnot, and keeping them
(17:01):
informed of all what's going onand whatnot, those sorts of try
and knock out. And yet it's beeninstalled into us because we do
have a certain mindset and doingthings and we do inform people
of what we're doing. Becausethat's what we've been taught
and military, we do haveempathy, because we've worked
with other people in youroperational environment where
(17:23):
there's even suffering and we'vebeen suffering before. So we
empathise with them. And we willprotect them similar to how we
protect the people that couldn'tprotect themselves. We protect
our clients, because that can'tprotect themselves from other
trainees, because they don'tunderstand when they're being
when it's a failing grade valueand all that or when they've
(17:45):
been taken for a ride.
Andy Fermo (17:47):
And so with that, John, there's all those key
attributes that you're sayingthe military and first responder
personnel have instilled intothem? What was that work that
Christina did with you throughI've got your six that helped
you realise or that guided youto realise that essential skill
set that you already had inbuiltinto you was transferable to
(18:09):
your business that you'dcreated. Okay.
John Ciampino (18:12):
The programme there is basically focused on
veterans and first respondersthere manage their lives after
service. And that was a bigthing, finding a new purpose in
their life, through the skillsthat they've already developed
and installed within themselves.
And it also has got a lot to dowith managing their family life
and all that sort of subjectbecause don't forget, wait a
(18:34):
bedroom, there's always somebodyin the background, that's always
your spouse, and your children.
So they too are part and parcelof your journey. They too have
suffered. Because they watch yousuffer so they then they
themselves suffer as well, isthat only was a part of their
software. So in essence, I'vegot said helps. The veteran not
(19:00):
only helps the veterans but helptheir families and children. Pa
and this is what I've got to do.
Oh got to say this, I've got issix is not psychology or
psychiatry. Okay. We don't workfrom your here backwards. We
don't. That's your psychologist,retired cartridge. We work on
the now to the future. Thoughthis is a flow on effect that we
(19:24):
got. So after you've gonethrough and spoken to clear
you've got yourself in a goodposition with your psychologists
and psychiatrists the sayingright now I can read the bull by
the horns. Let's see whatcomputer brings is where I've
gotten six nationally held. Andthere you go. Yeah. And it
doesn't early focus onemployment, actually guides
(19:45):
veteran to discover theirpassions, what they enjoy doing,
what makes them happy, andlisted big thin toe because when
veterans do lead defence, thereis all weighs one thing in the
background they've done whilstthey're in defence that made
them happy. Yeah, take theirmind off the job. And that's
(20:06):
what we tried to find out.
Because in the air, if there wasa hobby or whatnot, we
discovered what made them happy.
But then because all make themhappy now we can actually
literally anything that makesyou happy can be turned into a
business. And
Andy Fermo (20:21):
it will happen is that what happened to you when
you met Christina and you weredoing your stuff with I can fix
that
John Ciampino (20:26):
I started carpentry, because it made me
happy. But I had no, it hadactually promoted myself out
there. This bought you seatshelped me because I had to tell
them my story, I had to tellthem where I come from, before
they understood where I wantedto go. I know what makes me
happy. But this is it. Everyveteran knows what makes them
(20:46):
happy. It's up to them to tellChristina will tell the team I
got sick, what makes me happyfrom there. They want to develop
it into a career. Becauseanything that makes you happy,
anything that you do can bedifficult. He'd be more on my
team. Guess what there are a lotof companies out there looking
at people would build models. Ifyou're looking on a haul haul of
(21:09):
planting a lot of nurseries outthere like gardening. What about
landscaping, business, thingsthat make you happy. And where
Christina can then help youdevelop that into a business
with business strategy. It canbe overwhelming. And trust me it
was for me because I had to stopit. Because of just too much
(21:31):
information too soon. And you'vegot to slow down. And as I'm
just getting overwhelmed by aheartbeat. And when you become
overwhelmed, you start to closeup again. Now I didn't want
that. So she worked with me at apace that I one go not work per
stay in one go was my post itbuild up to the business where
(21:52):
now today my I've got my ownwebsite, we've got my business
cards, I've got my own businessFacebook page, I got blind. So
booked out for the next sixmonths, I still got to do
another five more quotes andthey're not even young. What I'm
hearing
Andy Fermo (22:08):
what I'm hearing, John is, is that with I can fix
that. Now you had that idea. Butyou didn't quite know how to
implement the other componentsof it even though you had all
these other skills in built. Andthrough that work that you've
done with Christina, shelistened to your story that gave
and formulated a planvocationally to be able to get
you from here to where you arenow in incremental steps at your
(22:32):
pace based on your story andwhat makes you happy, unlocking,
unlocking those skills that youalready had in built and then
transferring them to CivvyStreet, speaking that language,
at the same time, alsoinstilling that purpose in you,
because you've mentioned before,there's the skills that make you
happy, but then things forbusiness. But there's also those
(22:53):
other things like familyrelationships, and those are the
parts that come inherently withwhat you're missing. Because you
mentioned before that secondmarriage, that was a foul thing,
but you've got relationshipswith kids, and how can you move
them forward? Or how can theyinteract with you and
communication. So then that waythat brings that holistic
approach to it to being able tohelp repurpose veterans, first
(23:17):
responders to something that's alittle bit more manageable as a
transition life after militaryto
John Ciampino (23:24):
the table as well. And this is why plateless
and all I'm not going to startslacking out there bergbau
interpersonal relationship whereanybody is bullied. We talk to
him we sit down we dumbeverything down to them so they
can understand we by getting outin front of them, sir they know
that there's no hidden costs,fees, whatever. We become as
(23:47):
transparent as we possibly can.
And it's not I that this day, Istill can't work with civilian
Zeb got gearing mindset, andI've got mine. Here was two
tours of Afghanistan. He left hewas in the infantry left the
army went join the police forceafter his training and whatnot.
Roe v. crumpled everything justhit him once. Then he went
(24:11):
through and bad depressive stagehe was hidden drugs and whatnot.
He was locked away he wouldn'tsay anyone Christina worked in
for months at the time where shethey turned on was going by you
and turn the camera on wasalways in cheese and cry to
where he is now. He's justbubbly. He looks forward worm is
(24:35):
looking he's getting marriednext month. Got a baby beautiful
baby girl. His life hascompletely changed. He's out. He
talks to the community thistimeline I do. He's life has
changed 100% Because ALMS what Ican see and X ray do or him
Andy Fermo (24:59):
Yep. And then that's the thing and then working
through your business andworking alongside someone that
that knows the differencesthere. And obviously, that skill
sets and values that you've gotin dealing with your particular
customers, we know we won't gointo those business details, but
I can just see it in your eyesthere, how much that's given you
purpose to be able to do that,as an ambassador for the
(25:21):
organisation it is,
John Ciampino (25:23):
and we know that every veterans still to this
day, have good days and havesaid bad days. So we're very
empathetic towards that as well.
And he brings Napa says ourcondo today. And then I say, are
you all right? And he'll say,not really. So I can even
postpone my business with the mybusiness and go to his place and
sit down and have a cup of tea.
(25:45):
Or that's the beautiful thingbecause we're bouncing
constantly bouncing off oneanother. So we're helping one
another on the journey. Andthat's opened, every single
veteran now and this thingveterans can bounce, aha, the
veterans are belong the militarybalsa wood militia motorcycle
club, Big West. And they, theymy journey into the state, I was
(26:09):
at top the horse in Trenton,right place one therapy. Fake
enough of it, then absolutelyBerean Ploetz, do what I am now.
And that was a five yearjourney, and that I can't
believe how much I've actuallychanged
Andy Fermo (26:23):
that growth, isn't it? It's growth, their post
military, John, what you'retalking about, isn't it. And it
takes times because I knowyou're really passionate about
this, seeing that in the waythat you're talking about this,
your growth and your journey.
And then also your offsider now,and seeing how far he's come
along. And the work that I'vegot your six has had in terms of
being able to help you on thatjourney in bite sized chunks to
(26:46):
realise that purpose, andrepurpose those skills. But
there's something as well, andthen I want you to be able to
share that with the audience. Isit does it's not an overnight
thing, is it?
John Ciampino (27:00):
No, definitely not. It takes time. It does take
me five odd years to get towhere I am now. But in saying
that as well, when I left thearmy, there was nothing else
there. I dva right, we're gonnafill out all your claims and
whatnot. And now well, and thatshould never happen. She'll be
(27:22):
there's got to be a transitionfighters, every member Lane
automatically moves toward orlooking at leaving the service,
they definitely need thattransition phase. We're not
talking about a three daytransition seminar that you
know, there has got to besomething in place and this is
where I've got his sixdefinitely helps him because the
last thing they need to do is gothrough what I went without that
(27:45):
port without that transitionphase from the military into
Sydney straight becauseliterally, I couldn't do it
because it was not having us togo to the cities we're looking
at somebody completely he didn'treally know what I was. And my
home or and whatnot was playingin be part of me trying to get a
jolt couldn't work with othercities because in the end, my
(28:09):
minds and I'm a bronchial whilesomebody speaks five seconds
later, there'll be on the floorblame because I'm going to use
just nothing but a panini wife.
And this is where I've got yousick and help them transition
nine. They go through theprogramme and whatnot, but they
get exposed to other clubs andwhatnot, or a lot of veterans
(28:30):
out there now, militarybrotherhood military Motorcycle
Club is just one club. They'vegot walk minded veterans that
work together, they've got theirproblems and all that sort of
stuff. But at least we've gotpeople that we can bounce off,
you're not alone, out in thisbig, wide, horrible world. And
it's guy that there's othercentres out there like corn
(28:51):
therapy, you need to have aquiet space, and just gather
your thoughts and talk to otherlike minded people and whatnot.
path, the path of Austin Trentonbrilliant place. You got an
operator, JD Ma, that wasCommando. Yeah. And now he works
that space and he lovesveterans. All right. And again,
(29:12):
with that, I've got your six. Sothere's so many elements there
to assist you and help you alongthe way. But biggest thing that
I and I can't reiterate thisenough, is getting contact,
before you even looking atdischarging from the services,
get in contact with I've gotyour six. So you don't fall into
(29:33):
that rut. We don't fall intothat hole. We're a we're a
nonprofit, we're a charity whereit's the charity organisation
that we're in as though it'sservice organisation with a
board members military veteran,yes, yet. We have a specific
goal and will and there's aspecific way of doing things I
(29:57):
find We're there to help.
Andy Fermo (30:01):
So in closing, I know that we could probably pick
up another part on this as well,John, because there's more that
I'd like to be able to unpack.
But I'm behind all of the John,in closing this, I know that
you're very passionate aboutwhat you're doing your work now
with your business, but also, asan ambassador, for I've got your
six, is there some closingremarks that you can share with
(30:22):
our audience, from a personaland also Ambassador point of
view, that you'd like be able toshare with someone who's
thinking about getting out or isin that transition process,
definitely
John Ciampino (30:35):
get in contact with October 6, it is free of
charge service, you can go ontotheir website at a GYC stock
Comdata. You got all theinformation there. Or you can
give them a call on 03701823double zero, speak to the team.
(30:56):
There's absolutely no obligationit is a free of charge service
for all veterans and whatnot.
You could also be You also couldapply for NDIS. That's
Andy Fermo (31:08):
a big one as well.
John Ciampino (31:09):
That is mascot. A lot of people realise how now I
can't because w Diddy. No, it isbecause DVI will cover a lot of
your injury. But where dadoesn't cover injury as well,
after you go through the processof filling out the forms, which
I must state again, I've gottensick, we'll do it for you free
of charge for performances tobring in men to India. Here's
(31:33):
one Chandi it says yes, then wecan get you on the ball rolling?
Oh, you got absolutely nothing.
No, oh,
Andy Fermo (31:41):
well, that's it. And it's just really about going
well, acknowledging that I'vegot your six is exactly that
someone that's there in supportfor wind to help enable you to
get where you need to go,especially in the transition
phase where you might have lostfeel that you've lost your
purpose, or are struggling withbeing able to repurpose the
skills that you have got andshedding light upon that. And
(32:03):
having that support. Mate, thankyou so much for joining us on
the podcast today. It's
John Ciampino (32:09):
your worries,
Andy Fermo (32:09):
thank you for sharing your story. And also
some of those traumas thatyou've had is because it really
is important to be able to seethat change. And even though we
talked about that those traumasis seeing where you are now. And
of course, it takes that littlebit of extra time and nothing is
overnight. But what thediarization is that you're
supporting now and Ambassador ngfor it shows the difference.
(32:33):
Thank you so much for everythingthat you're doing now for the
community with your new purposeand life purpose.
John Ciampino (32:39):
Absolute pleasure out there. Pleasure, Andy,
listen, I can't thank you enoughfor having me on your podcast.
I've really enjoyed it love todo another one. But I've got
over again to write with theseguys. veterans out there. Both
guys and girls. Hey, we're allbrothers and sisters in this
fight. Okay, we are here to helpyou. I've got your six. We've
(33:02):
started this business, Christinaand I as son over $140,000 into
this business to get it up andrunning. We're going to still
sink money. And the reason beingis because we so damn passionate
about it. We know it will workwe know who will help veterans.
The last thing we want to do issee another veteran take his own
life because he felt that hewasn't being helped or there was
(33:26):
nothing out there for him.
Although many mates might wehave lost too many mates. They
even turn around and saying it'sbad. Nothing is too hard. The
hardest thing you've got to do,just pick up that phone and give
us a call. That's the hardestthing.
Andy Fermo (33:42):
All right. Thank you so much, John. No worries. Have
a good day. And thank you forsharing your story and being on
the show. They certainly
Claire Fermo (33:53):
join us next time for the next episode of the
invisible injuries podcast.
Don't forget to subscribe. Formore great content, follow us on
our socials on Instagram. Andyou can also visit our website
www dot invisibleinjuries.org.au where you can
access more content. Thank youfor listening to invisible
(34:14):
injuries.
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